FWA: Why is it important to start well?

BH: I really, one hundred percent, firmly believe that it’s less important to start well, as long as you just start! I found, for a very long time, that I was constantly second guessing myself before I’d even typed a single word. I’m now a massive believer in the reiterative process, meaning that, with every draft of a scene you write, you get that scene closer and closer to what it needs to be. In order to do this, you need something to refine! The most important step, with starting, is having the confidence to start, even when you’re not sure of what it is yet. And knowing you’ll be able to refine it with time, as the whole project comes into clearer alignment for you. 

FWA: How do you start now, having written three novels?

BH: I begin writing as an experimentation to see what the novel wants to be. I give myself permission for it to be bad for a while, and then I try to watch as things unfold. This is by no means the “right” way to do things – this is just what works for me! I love the process of writing, and I find great joy in seeing where a story leads. 

FWA: What can people expect take away from the course?

BH: There’s a lot I cover in this course, from refining ideas, editing, structure, planning, dialogue, adding drama and tension, and finding a place for your manuscript. But beyond all that, the main takeaway I will drill into you from the very first minute is to give you permission to write the story you want to write, the way you want to write it. There’s a lot of courses out there (I’ve done a few!) that will dictate to you the method you need to use in order to be successful. That’s not what I’m about. I want to find what makes you tick. I want the process of telling your story to be a way of unearthing the true you, out there, in your art. There’s no one right way. I want to help you find yours.

Kickstart Your Novel
with Ben Hobson
ONLINE
4 May – 22 June 2023